Stand with Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan -- with democracy and civilization against tyranny and barbarism
posted by Infidel753 at 7:17 AM
Individualist, pro-technology, pro-democracy, anti-religion. I speak only for myself and not for any ideology, movement, or party. It has been my great good fortune to live my whole life free of "spirituality" of any kind. I believe that evidence and reason are the keys to understanding reality; that technology rather than ideology or politics has been the great liberator of humanity; and that in the long run, human intelligence is the most powerful force in the universe.
God doesn't exist
Evolution happened
Global warming is real
Homosexuality is normal
Aging is a curable disease
The election was not stolen
Everything "spiritual" is a lie
US out of UN, UN out of US
Free speech is for everybody
Humans do not have "souls"
Men can't become women
Fetuses are not persons
Words are not violence
Taiwan is a nation
Pluto is a planet
4 Comments:
Unlike Egypt, whose Muslim Brotherhood is on the peaceful end of the spectrum of Islamist groups (a relative thing, I know, but still...) Algeria has, over the last couple of decades, been subject to Islamist violence in which tens of thousands have been killed, with much vicious behavior on both sides. And in some ways Algeria has never really been politically stable since their struggle for freedom against France.
This is a considerably more volatile situation than exised in Egypt or Tunisia, and one far more likely to see instability turn really ugly. As much as I am very happy about what has happened in Egypt and Tunisia (so far) I am very concerned with what might be coming if Algeria descends into chaos.
Good point. Every country has somewhat different circumstances. Still, it's hard to see what the alternative is -- leave the likes of Bouteflika in charge forever? Even in Tunisia and Egypt, the risk of falling prey to another dictatorship was not, and for that matter is not yet, zero.
You're absolutely right- it's so easy to see any outcome in Algeria turning into a disaster for the Algerian people. Of course, the same thing could happen in Egypt, although it's not as likely, and as frightening as it is to admit it, there are groups in this country who are taken seriously by the "serious" people, who may bring us to a horrendous end too, if they get their hands on the government. You couldn't have said that a couple of decades ago, but we are sure living in strange times.
Actually my point was that no uprising in an Arab country is without risk -- but given the kind of regimes they currently have, the risk is worth taking.
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